How to Increase FPS on PC: 15 Proven Methods
June 19, 2026
Introduction
If your games feel laggy during action scenes, or just don't look as smooth as you'd like then low FPS could be the reason. Frames Per Second, is one of the biggest factors that affects how smooth a game feels while you're playing.
What is FPS?
FPS just stands for "Frames Per Second."
The easiest way to think about it is like one of those little flipbooks we used as kids. Video games are really just a bunch of still pictures flashing super fast to trick your brain into seeing motion.
Your computer's job is to draw these pictures.
Your monitor's job is to show them to you.
If your screen flashes 60 pictures in one second, you are getting 60 FPS. That's it!
Why does FPS even matter?
Why do gamers care so much about getting high numbers here? It basically comes down to three simple things:
It looks smooth: Low FPS looks like a chunky, broken slideshow. High FPS makes everything glide perfectly, just like real life.
You play better: When your game runs faster, you actually see things happen a little bit faster. In a fast-paced game, seeing the other guy first is a huge advantage.
No more headaches: Staring at a laggy, jumping screen for an hour is terrible for your eyes. Smooth games just feel way better to play.
Why Is My FPS Low?
Hardware limitations
High graphics settings
Background apps
Outdated drivers
15 Proven Ways to Increase FPS
Okay, let’s get into the actual fixes. You don't need to be a tech wizard for most of these. We'll start with the easy, free stuff before talking about hardware.
1. Update Graphics Drivers
Honestly, this should always be your first step. Brands like Nvidia and AMD push out driver updates all the time, and they usually include fixes specifically for newer games.
Just open your graphics software (like GeForce Experience).
Hit the "check for updates" button. That's it.
2. Lower Graphics Settings
Yeah, we all want our games to look gorgeous, but turning down heavy settings like shadows, reflections, or anti-aliasing can give you a massive FPS boost.
It's usually a fair trade-off.
Try setting everything to "Medium" and see how it feels.
3. Drop the Resolution
Playing in 4K is awesome, but if your PC is lagging, knocking the resolution down to 1440p or even 1080p is a total lifesaver. You get used to the slight visual drop pretty quick, honestly, especially when the game suddenly runs silky smooth.
4. Turn on Game Mode
Did you know Windows actually has a built-in feature for this?
Just hit your Windows key and search for "Game Mode."
Flip the switch to "On."
It basically tells your PC to prioritize your game and pause random background stuff from updating.
5. Close Background Programs
You'd be amazed how much power a random Google Chrome tab or Discord eats up while you're trying to play.
Check your system tray.
Close out of Spotify, web browsers, or anything else you aren't actively using.
6. Disable Startup Apps
If your PC boots up and immediately tries to load 20 different programs, it's gonna run slow right out of the gate.
Right-click your taskbar and open Task Manager.
Go to the "Startup" tab and disable the heavy apps you don't need running all the time.
7. Switch Your Power Plan
By default, Windows tries to save energy and settings can limit performance.
Search for "Choose a power plan" in Windows.
Switch it over to "High Performance" so your PC parts get the juice they actually need to run fast.
8. Upgrade Your RAM
Okay, we are getting into hardware now. If you're still running on 8GB of RAM, modern games are just going to struggle, period. Jumping up to 16GB (or 32GB if you can) makes a world of difference for stuttering.
9. Install Games on an SSD
Are you still using an old, spinning hard drive? If so, your loading times and in-game lag will be pretty bad.
Moving your favorite games to a solid-state drive (SSD) is honestly one of the best upgrades you can possibly make.
10. Enable XMP/EXPO
This one is a bit sneaky! When you buy fast RAM, it doesn't actually run at full speed out of the box.
You have to restart your PC, jump into your BIOS settings, and click "enable" on XMP (for Intel) or EXPO (for AMD).
It literally unlocks free performance you already paid for.
11. Overclock the GPU
Sounds a bit scary, right? But using free software like MSI Afterburner to squeeze a little extra speed out of your graphics card is actually pretty safe these days. Just follow a quick guide and don't push the sliders too far.
12. Overclock the CPU
Similar to your graphics card, you can sometimes push your processor a bit harder than its factory settings. This is definitely a bit more advanced, though, so make sure to watch a tutorial for your specific CPU first.
13. Keep Windows Updated
I know, Windows updates are super annoying. But sometimes a weird game stutter is just a random bug that Microsoft already fixed in a recent patch. Just let the updates run overnight and get them out of the way.
14. Fix Your Cooling
If your PC gets too hot, it literally slows itself down so it doesn't melt. We call it thermal throttling.
Grab a can of compressed air and clean the dust out of your fans.
Make sure your PC isn't shoved into a carpeted corner where it can't breathe.
15. Optimize Game Settings
Every single game has its own settings. Sometimes turning off things like "Motion Blur" or "V-Sync" in the game's menu fixes the lag instantly. Don't be afraid to poke around in the settings and experiment a bit!
How to Actually Check Your FPS
So, you made all these changes to your PC, but did it actually help? To know for sure, you need to see the numbers on your screen. Luckily, this is really easy to do.
1. In-Game FPS Counters
Most games today have a frame counter already built into them.
Just open the game's menu and look under the "Video" or "Display" settings.
Look for a button that says "Show FPS" or "Performance Stats" and turn it on.
If you play games on Steam, it's even easier. Go to Steam's main settings, click "In-Game," and turn on the FPS counter. It will automatically show up in all your Steam games!
2. Free FPS Tester
If your game doesn't have a built-in counter, you can just download a free app to do it for you.
Programs like FRAPS or MSI Afterburner are perfect for this. You just turn them on before you start playing.
They put a little number right in the corner of your screen so you always know how smooth your game is running.
As a bonus, some of these apps will even tell you if your computer is getting too hot!
Quick FAQ: Stuff People Always Ask
Alright, to wrap things up, let's just quickly answer a few common questions people always ask when trying to fix their lag.
1. How can I increase my FPS for free?
Honestly, you don't need to spend money right away. Just start with the easy software tweaks we talked about earlier:
Update your graphics card drivers.
Turn down the game's video settings just a little bit.
Close any heavy background apps (like Chrome or Discord) before you start playing.
2. Is 60 FPS actually good?
Yeah, for most people, 60 FPS is kind of the sweet spot.
It looks totally smooth and natural for everyday gaming.
But... if you play super fast competitive shooters, you might want to try and push for 120 or 144 FPS if your monitor can handle it.
3. Will adding more RAM increase my FPS?
It definitely can, but mostly if your computer is currently struggling to keep up.
If you only have 8GB of RAM right now, jumping to 16GB is going to stop the game from freezing up and make everything feel way smoother.
4. Can an SSD improve my FPS?
Well... not exactly. Getting an SSD won't really make your raw frame numbers jump much higher.
But it will make your games load almost instantly.
It also totally gets rid of those annoying lag spikes that happen when your game has to load a new part of the map.
Conclusion
In conclusion, dealing with low FPS is annoying, but it is completely fixable. You don't always need to buy a brand-new, expensive computer to get a smooth gaming experience.
Start with the free tweaks first like updating your drivers, lowering your game settings, and turning on Game Mode. If your computer is still struggling after that, small hardware upgrades like adding more RAM or switching